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Why Use Film in a Literature Classroom
Using film is beneficial for students. It will be more accessible for students who are unable to read on a higher level. Students of this generation are comfortable with expressing their thoughts and emotions digitally through emojis, video game avatars, and virtual reality experiences. In school districts across the country, students use “mood meters” to express how they are feeling in class or about a situation. Studying the artform of film and the techniques used to show mood will resonate with students. Having students analyze a film helps them to be more digitally literate. They will have to analyze the elements of the film and explain how it explains the plot and characters.
In “Beyond School Breaks” Lisa Domke mentions that films in elementary classrooms are often used for rewards for students or as a transition to a long school break. When films are used in the classroom, the activities usually stick to comparing a book to a film adaptation of the book. Rarely are films analyzed for their own artistic qualities. Domke says,
Filmmakers communicate messages through various elements specific to the medium of film. Just as readers can analyze a picture book’s visuals (e.g., the illustrator's use of line, color, composition, and media), viewers can analyze a film's elements to make sense of the movies they watch. Considering camera angles, lighting choices, sound effects, and music, for example, allows viewers to engage more fully with the creative and persuasive aspects of films. By analyzing films as texts and by examining the ways filmmakers use the medium's unique elements to tell a story, students can build their critical visual and media literacy skills and, in the process, meet Common Core State Standards for English language arts.1
In order to develop media literacy, which is imperative to this generation’s success in the future, students should interpret various types of media including cinema. Films have their own way of communicating ideas and sentiments, and students can learn to navigate them. Students can learn the language and components of film to better analyze films.
Teachers must expand their definition of what a text is. In “Let’s Go to the Movies: Rethinking the Role of Film in the Elementary Classroom” Michelle Whipple argues that teachers should expand their definition of “text” to include film. Educators should embrace a medium that is pervasive in everyday life. Movies have a huge impact on popular culture and can be utilized in an educational setting. Whipple argues that instead of criticizing the decrease in written text, educators can use students’ movie experiences and film knowledge to further support their literacy development. Educators can use students’ social media savviness to build on their digital media knowledge. Educational websites such as Edmodo and Flip grid, mimic social media experiences for classroom use.
In other words, the validation of alternate texts such as photographs, computers, television, film and videotape, through their emphasis and use in the classroom, may allow those students who are in some way at-risk in their literacy development to participate in classroom discourse, to become a part of the classroom community, and to be validated as learners and people.2
English Language Learners who may not experience their second language at home can watch a movie in more than one language. Movies are dubbed and subtitled in various languages. Therefore, students can respond to the movie experience and participate in class in a more equitable way.
In her class observations, Whipple notices that students naturally make intertextual observations about books and their film adaptations. She observed students as they moved from 5th – 7th grade in a longitudinal study. In a conversation she recorded, students compared the use of suspense in books versus movies they had seen. They concluded that suspense in books was harder to convey than in movies. When discussing a book during class, students would often bring up a film adaptation of the book, yet the teacher would often direct students back to the book instead of incorporating the film into the discussion. 3
Using film in the classroom is a way to expose students to different places around the world. In “The Art of Teaching Social Studies with Film”, Russell argues that “teaching with film is a powerful and meaningful instructional strategy.” Russell discusses ways that films are useful in the classroom. One way is that film can be a “depicter of an atmosphere”.
Using film as a depicter of atmosphere is effective and has been found to be valuable for helping visually construct an understanding of historical places and settings. This method allows teachers to show students architecture, living conditions, clothes, and weapons of different historical periods. Films are excellent resources for depicting atmosphere, considering that production companies spend millions of dollars recreating realistic representations of events, time periods, and/or persons depicted in movies.4
When filmmakers film on location, students are able to see real images of places around the world and not just recreated depictions.
Students will get a visual representation whether it is via animation or live action of the way of life in a place. The producers of Encanto, for instance, went to great lengths to depict Colombian culture in the animation. Students will get a window into the culture, music, dance, and food. Wadjda, set in Saudi Arabi is the first film completely shot in that country and will show students the culture of a society vastly different from theirs. In some films produced by American or other western countries, middle eastern or third world countries settings are filmed in a sepia color. This effects the mood of the movie and makes the setting seem dangerous, and super-hot. The colors in Wadjda are vibrant and views will not be influenced by the typical sepia color.
Another method Russell describes is “using film as a springboard”.
Simply put, using film as a springboard means a teacher is using film to motive and grab the attention of student. Using film as a springboard promotes and encourages quality discussion and higher-order thinking. 5
Students can become more interested in the places they learn about, and the issues discussed in the films by being exposed to the places depicted. Films that are widely well known in popular culture are best suited for this strategy. The chance of students being at least familiar with the film is higher than a more obscure film. There will be more references students can relate to during the conversations and deeper discussions about the films.
Encanto and Wadjda Together
The movies complement each other well in this unit. There are obvious differences for students to contrast: one movie is animated, the other isn’t; one protagonist has a large family and the other lives with only her mother; lastly, one has a goal to fit in with her family and the other desires independence. First students will watch Encanto, which is a Disney animated film released in November 2021. Wadjda is a live action film made in Saudi Arabia 2012. The movies complement each other in this unit because the major differences between the films are obvious. Yet, they are both heartwarming films with similar thematic ideas. Both films follow a young, preteen girl protagonist while she attains a goal for herself and for her family. Both girls feel like outcasts. Finally, both girls struggle to meet the expectations of adults in their lives. The thematic ideas students will explore in both films are family loyalty, familial love, family roles and girls’ roles in society, coming of age, and overcoming obstacles.
Encanto Synopsis
Encanto is about a family set in a hacienda in Colombia. The protagonist of the story is Mirabel. She is a member of the enchanted Madrigal family. Each family member has a special magical power except for Mirabel. The movie follows her journey to feeling fully accepted by Abuela, the matriarch of the Madrigals. Mirabel learns the family is losing its magical powers and goes on a quest to save the candle.
Abuela left her village as a young woman with her husband, Pedro and their three babies. Their family and village were under attack. While trying to escape the looters threatening the village, Pedro sacrificed himself for his family. Immediately after Pedro dies, a magical candle appears protecting Abuela and the babies, giving their family magical powers.
Encanto is the first movie in this unit because the storytelling is rich, and students can easily follow the story. One of the movie’s best traits is its departure from the typical Disney formula for feminine protagonists. As Amador mentions, Disney stories with a feminine main character use romantic interest as a main plot point. In the past decade, Disney has attempted to transform the feminine leads to be less romantically motivated. 6
Disney released Brave in 2012; it tells the story of Merida and her desire for agency and rebellion against being married off by her family. Frozen, one of the most successful Disney animated movies centers on the love between two sisters. Romance is part of the story but isn’t the dominant storyline. The protagonists have the traditional features in a Disney princess or fairy tale - large, charming eyes, long locks of hair, mobile expressions. Disney released Frozen in 2013 and subsequent movies pushed the transformation of Disney heroines further. Moana, released in 2016, is a story of a girl who is destined to be the next chief of her people. The love of her people and desire to explore the ocean motivates her to go on a quest to save her village on the island. 7
Like its predecessors, Encanto is not centered on romantic love but on familial love. Mirabel has big eyes, but she wears glasses. She has a more realistic body type than other Disney heroines. Like Moana, Mirabel also embarks on a journey to save her family and village. However, Encanto has a more ambiguous ending than Moana. Not all of the movie's questions are answered by the end. In the past, Disney might have ended Encanto neatly and would allow Mirabel to receive her gift after helping her family. But Mirabel still does not have any special powers and does not give an answer as to why. The interpretations are endless and leave some viewers feeling unsatisfied. Still, during the movie students will have an opportunity to interpret the various elements and use of music, animation, and storytelling.
Music in Encanto
The songs in Encanto are not only catchy but are essential to the narrative of the movie. Encanto uses musical numbers to push the plot forward and to anchor the theme. Typically, in animated films characters sing musical numbers to express feelings or to introduce themselves. In Encanto, the audience learns more about the characters emotions and motivations and the plot is more developed by the end of the songs. The music expresses the mood of the scenes in combination with the animations.
During Antonio’s Candle Ceremony, Mirabel sings, “Waiting on a Miracle.” The scene begins at 22:16 minutes. Abuela kneels to congratulate Antonio getting his gift and says, “I knew you could do it! A gift as special as you!” She calls for a family photo and a camera flashes as the Madrigals pose as a group. The light freezes on the family and the scene begins to move in slow motion as soft music plays in the background. Mirabel looks on as her family takes the picture and begins singing the lyrics,
“Don’t be upset or mad at all, don’t feel regret or sad at all, hey, I’m still a part of the family Madrigal, And I’m fine, I’m totally fine. I will stand on the side as you shine. I’m not fine, I’m not fine…” 8
Even if a person watches this scene with no sound or captioning, one can see and feel the angst building in Mirabel and can understand why she feels this way. This scene is important to the characterization of Mirabel. The audience is already aware that Mirabel does not have a gift and suspects she feels left out. Yet, students can use this scene to dig deeper into Mirabel’s motivations and understand her choices later in the movie. In this scene Mirabel watches her younger cousin receive his gift. Students can recognize that she has complex emotions and must grapple with how much she can simultaneously feel happy for her cousin and sad for herself. Mirabel feeling like an outsider within her family is a thematic idea in Encanto.
The climax of this scene is Mirabel singing around the house while fireworks and embers of the candle swirl around her. The song ends and immediately Mirabel sees cracks in Casita and notices something is wrong with the house. The tension between Mirabel and her Abuela grow as Mirabel tries to alert at the party, but when no one else can see the cracks, she is embarrassed. Her abuela harshly scolds Mirabel. The entire scene illustrates Mirabel’s desire to be accepted by her Abuela and introduces major conflict in the show, something is wrong with Casita, therefore, something is wrong with the magic.
Musical numbers in animated movies have been a staple of Disney movies. The songs become large successes that attribute to the movies’ massive success. In Encanto the songs share more about the characters. Once Mirabel decides to save the miracle that is the source of her family’s magic, she begins questioning family members for help. As she questions her sister, Luisa, she learns more about the pressure she has been under during the song, “Surface Pressure”.
The visuals and music work together to show the audience the boiling anxiety Louisa feels underneath her strong exterior. She sings, “Under the surface, I’m pretty sure I’m worthless, If I can’t be of service. A flaw or a crack, the straw in the stack, that breaks the camel’s back. What breaks the camel’s back?” The tempo of the song gradually progresses to this point. Then the song comes to a stop, and she sings, “Pressure like a drip, drip, drip, that’ll never stop.” Louisa’s scene illustrates tone for students. As the lyrics swiftly move through scenarios of bravery, the animation shows her anxiety growing. Louisa sings, “Under the surface, I worry something is going to hurt us. Under the surface, the ship doesn’t swerve. Has it heard how big the iceberg is?” Mirabel is then on the Titanic and Louisa grabs her and rescues her to shore.” She then sings, “Under the surface, I think about my purpose. Can I somehow preserve this? Line up the dominos, a light wind blows, you try to stop it topplin’, but on and on it goes.” Mirabel and Louisa are standing at the end of a domino chain, as a tornado swirls around, knocking down the dominos. 9
Casita
Casita is the Madrigal’s personified house. In Mirabel’s first musical number and the movie’s opening song, “The Family Madrigal”, she is introducing the Madrigal family to a few village children, and the audience. Before she introduces the family members in the song, she begins to command Casita. When she wakes up, Casita slides Mirabel’s glasses to her by tilting a shelf while the wooden floorboards shuffle and become arms that throw her shoes to her. Throughout the movie Mirabel is the only character that seems to have a relationship to Casita.
While Abuela can command Casita, it is through Mirabel’s conversations that the audience discovers Casita’s personality. While the family leaves Casita to go to the village, Mirabel turns around and waves goodbye. Casita waves back by fluttering the shutter doors and sliding the roof boards like piano keys. In a later scene, Mirabel wants to help decorate the house for the family event. She says, “It’s not like these decorations will decorate themselves.” The offended Casita droops its draped decorations like puppy dog ears.
In previous Disney movies, an animal or creature serves as the protagonist’s side kick. In Encanto, Casita is Mirabel’s companion throughout her adventures. When Casita shows cracks, Mirabel seems to be the only one who notices them. When she warns Abuela, and the entire party comes to see the cracks, the cracks have disappeared to Mirabel’s dismay. As Mirabel later tries to find the cause of the magic weakening, Casita follows her everywhere. Only when she enters Bruno’s Tower can Casita not enter with her.
Wadjda Synopsis
Wadjda is a coming-of-age movie set in Saudi Arabia. Wadjda is a 10-year girl who wants to buy a bike. She attempts to earn money for her bike by selling contraband bracelets at her school, doing favors for classmates, and entering a competition at her school. Unlike Mirabel who has a large extended family living under one roof, Wadjda lives with only her mother. Her father visits them often, but he may marry again and get a second family. Wadjda is aware that her mother is distressed about her father having a second family and finds ways to support her throughout the movie. Students will explore themes of being an outsider and family roles and society in this movie.
Director Haifaa Al Monsour
Haifaa Al Monsour is a Saudi Arabian director. Wadjda is the first film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and by a woman director. Some aspects of the film mirror Monsuor’s life. As a girl her father purchased a bike for her to ride in her backyard like Wadjda. Her parents are educated and relatively progressive like Wadjda’s parents. Monsour does not cover her face now and was not made to do so as a girl like Wadjda. Still, like Wadjda, Monsour grew up in Saudi Arabia, a conservative religious theocracy where women are denied equal rights and status as men. Monsour directed many scenes from a van because she could not be seen working with men in the streets. Although women do not work on television crews Riyadh, Monsour hired women to work on her film crew in costume and make-up. 10
Wadjda Scene Selection
The bicycle is a symbol of freedom in Wadjda. Before Wadjda spots the bike she wants, she gets in a tussle with her friend Abdullah. On his bike, he rides by and pulls off Wadjda’s headscarf. She chases after him as he drags her scarf behind him. Finally he drops it on the ground and she reaches down to pick up.
Abdullah:
Did you really think you could catch up with me?
Wadjda:
If I had a bike, you’d see.
She watches Abdullah and the other boys ride off on their bikes. Later after school, Wadjda runs into Abdullah again.
Abdullah:
I’ve brought you something. (He hands her a package that appears to be a headscarf.)
Wadjda:
We’re not even yet. When I get my bike, and I win the race, then we’ll be even.
Abdullah:
Don’t you know that girls don’t ride bikes?
Wadjda:
Losing to a girl will be a double loss. 11
Wadjda continues to walk home and then she looks up and sees the bike floating along the street wall. In an interview with Cineaste, Monsour says, “For us, heaven is green. Not blue. Of course, our flag is green.” when explaining the significance of the color of the bike.12 Although, the bike is not floating, but is tied to the roof of a car, the choice of the color and the way the bike is introduces seems deliberate. Wadjda is instantly drawn to the bike and begins to follow it to the shop. The shopkeeper tells her that the bike is too expensive for her. The audience can tell by her facial expression that she is fixated on the bike and her following decisions in the story will be influenced by her desire for the bike.
Against the backdrop of the Saudi traditions, the bike can be a metaphor for freedom of movement and impendence. Women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. Wadjda’s mother is at the mercy of her driver and gets into arguments with him to her own detriment. The driver decides that he will not pick her up anymore because he is late and she misses work. Monsour mentions that although women are the employers of the drivers, “On the other hand, the drivers know the women cannot go anywhere without them. So, the drivers are in control.” 13 When Abdullah takes Wadjda’s headscarf, even in a playful manner, it shows the power dynamic that will always exist between her and boys. Wadjda sees owning a bike as a way to level the playing field between her and Abdullah and to enjoy the freedom of movement that is denied to women. Garcia says,
“Al Monsour often frames Wadjda and Abdullah together and separately in long shot their backdrop a series of forbidding empty lots and construction sites. As Wadjda traverses one sandy parcel, a worker hurls sexual remarks, extending the feeling of fore- boding from the previous scene at school in which Ms. Hussa silences the garrulous girls. Suddenly, the many shades of Wadjda’s vulnerability are palpable, Al Mansour height- ening our sensibilities to the dangers all Saudi women and girls confront in a society where men move freely and women are con- strained, judged by the measure of their modesty.” 14
She is fully aware of the struggles her mother has with the driver. She later goes to Igbal the driver’s house with Abdullah to convince him to drive for her mother again. Abdullah threatens Igbal to ask his uncle to look into his immigration status. Later, when he drives Wadjda and Mother to the mall, she insults his manners and he insults her back. Mother’s friend in a later conversation mentions how she hates riding with the drivers. It is common knowledge that the drivers are rude and the power dynamics are lopsided. Mother mentions being in a car without air conditioning for three hours. This is one aspect of life that is difficult for women to navigate. A bike as a symbol is still a toy and an age-appropriate desire for Wadjda.
Wadjda’s Defiance
As Garcia mentions, Wadjda is “quietly rebellious, not a fiery revolutionary.” 15 She rebels against her school and headmistress, Hussa. In the opening scene, the shot is on the shoes of the girls standing in rows, singing a Quranic hymn or verse. The shoes are all black dressy shoes with white, frilly socks. Wadjda is not fully paying attention and waves to girls as they walk by. The teacher calls Wadjda’s name to come forward and the row of girls part down the middle revealing Wadjda’s shoes, black high-top Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars with purple shoe laces. In American culture, Converses were part of counterculture, anti-fashionists who view themselves as the fringe of society. Wadjda rebels against the oppression of Saudi culture towards women in her own way.
Her tennis shoes are not the only way in which she rebels using her wardrobe. She also wears a vest over her abaya. She is punished by Ms. Hussa for not wearing her headscarf and has to stand out in the sun. She also wears blue jeans under her abaya. She wears a t-shirt under her abaya.
Later she also rebels by writing her name on the family tree even though only males are listed. She writes her name on a stickie note only to find later, someone (probably her father) has taken her name off the tree.
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